A touch sensor integrated type display device capable of recognizing a user's touch operation is disclosed. The touch sensor integrated type display device includes a plurality of first electrodes each including a plurality of first electrode patterns, which are connected through a plurality of first bottlenecks, the plurality of first electrodes being arranged in a first direction, and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. The plurality of first electrode patterns and the plurality of second electrodes are alternately disposed. At least one unit pixel electrode is disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of first electrode patterns.
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1. A touch sensor integrated type display device, comprising: a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of first electrodes including a plurality of first electrode patterns that extend in a second direction, each of the plurality of first electrode patterns being disposed corresponding to at least one unit pixel electrode, wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode patterns in the first direction are connected through a plurality of first bottlenecks; and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second direction, each of the plurality of second electrodes is disposed between two pixel electrodes which are neighbored to each other in the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of second electrodes is overlapped by respective ones of the plurality of first bottlenecks, wherein the plurality of first electrode patterns and the plurality of second electrodes are alternatively disposed in the second direction; wherein a plurality of first electrode resistance reducing wires arranged in the first direction and configured to contact the plurality of first electrode patterns and pass through respective ones of the plurality of the first bottlenecks, wherein the plurality of first electrodes are one of touch driving electrodes and touch sensing electrodes, and serve as divided common electrodes, and wherein the plurality of second electrodes are touch sensing electrodes when the plurality of first electrodes are touch driving electrodes serving as the divided common electrodes, or the plurality of second electrodes are touch driving electrodes when the plurality of first electrodes are touch sensing electrodes serving as the divided common electrodes.
A touch-sensitive display has a grid of electrodes for detecting touch. First electrodes run horizontally, each made of repeating segments that overlay pixel electrodes and are connected by narrow "bottleneck" regions. Second electrodes run vertically between pixel electrodes, overlapping the bottleneck regions of the first electrodes. The first electrode segments and second electrodes alternate vertically. Resistance-reducing wires run horizontally, contacting the first electrode segments and passing through the bottlenecks. The first electrodes can act as both touch drivers/sensors and as common electrodes for the display. When the first electrodes drive the touch function, the second electrodes sense the touch; when the first electrodes sense touch, the second electrodes drive the touch function.
2. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first bottlenecks are disposed one to n unit pixel electrodes, where n is a natural number.
In the touch-sensitive display described previously, each bottleneck connecting the repeating segments of the first electrodes is aligned with a specific number (one to *n*) of pixel electrodes, where *n* is a whole number. This means the bottlenecks are spaced according to the layout of the underlying display pixels. Essentially, the granularity of the touch sensor's electrode pattern is related to the pixel pitch of the display.
3. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first electrode resistance reducing wires pass through a formation position of the plurality of first bottlenecks and are disconnected at a non-formation position of the plurality of first bottlenecks.
In the touch-sensitive display with bottlenecks aligned to pixel electrodes, resistance-reducing wires run through the first electrodes, specifically passing through the bottleneck locations. These wires are intentionally broken or disconnected at locations *other than* the bottlenecks. This implies that the wires may be segmented, providing resistance reduction only where the bottlenecks create increased resistance.
4. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 3 , further comprising a connection wire which connects the plurality of first electrode resistance reducing wires corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes and is arranged in the second direction.
The touch-sensitive display from the previous description includes a connection wire running vertically, connecting the horizontal resistance-reducing wires of at least one of the first electrodes. This means the horizontal resistance-reducing wires are not isolated, but are electrically joined together vertically by this additional connection. This creates a grid-like structure of resistance reduction across the first electrode layer.
5. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second electrodes includes a second bottleneck having a narrow width at each crossing of the first bottleneck and the second electrode.
In the touch-sensitive display, each of the second electrodes (the vertical electrodes) has a narrow "bottleneck" section where it crosses a first electrode's bottleneck. This narrowing reduces capacitance and improves touch signal detection. So, both the horizontal (first) and vertical (second) electrodes have narrow points where they intersect.
6. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of second electrode resistance reducing wires configured to contact the plurality of second electrode patterns, cross the first bottleneck and pass through the second bottleneck.
The touch-sensitive display with bottleneck regions in both first and second electrodes also includes resistance-reducing wires for the second electrodes. These wires contact the second electrode segments, cross over the first electrode bottlenecks, and pass through the second electrode bottlenecks. This provides a path of reduced resistance along the second electrodes, especially at the narrow bottleneck points.
7. The touch sensor integrated type display device of claim 1 , wherein only the plurality of first electrodes serve as the divided common electrodes.
The touch-sensitive display uses only the first electrodes (the horizontal ones) as the common electrode for driving the display pixels. The second electrodes are solely dedicated to touch sensing and do not perform any display driving functions. This simplifies the driving scheme, assigning distinct roles to the horizontal and vertical electrodes.
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November 19, 2014
June 20, 2017
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